ETOWAH HISTORY NOTES - Research To Date
Like the typical, early North Carolina pioneer settlements, Etowah Valley grew up around self-sustaining farms near the French Broad River, pristine creeks, churches, one or two room schools, a grist mill or two, and a blacksmith. The valley welcomed settlers from already settled parts of Western North Carolina, including Buncombe County, eastern Henderson County and what is now Transylvania County.
Etowah Valley, as well as the adjacent Horse Shoe community, are located between Hendersonville and Brevard NC. This western region of Henderson County contained rich agricultural bottom lands surrounding the French Broad River offering new opportunities to settlers.
For a detailed narrative describing the settlement and history of the Etowah community, please visit hendersonheritage.com by Jennie Jones Giles. For many years Jennie taught local history classes at Blue Ridge Community College. Her detailed, primary source, and well researched website includes a description of "Early Families" and tells the story of early land ownership and settlement in the valley community that came to be known as Etowah.
Below, an excerpt from Giles' website about the land deeds of early families, beginning with the late 1700s, and research notes on Native Americans of the Etowah Valley, Henderson County, and Western North Carolina.
Etowah Valley, as well as the adjacent Horse Shoe community, are located between Hendersonville and Brevard NC. This western region of Henderson County contained rich agricultural bottom lands surrounding the French Broad River offering new opportunities to settlers.
For a detailed narrative describing the settlement and history of the Etowah community, please visit hendersonheritage.com by Jennie Jones Giles. For many years Jennie taught local history classes at Blue Ridge Community College. Her detailed, primary source, and well researched website includes a description of "Early Families" and tells the story of early land ownership and settlement in the valley community that came to be known as Etowah.
Below, an excerpt from Giles' website about the land deeds of early families, beginning with the late 1700s, and research notes on Native Americans of the Etowah Valley, Henderson County, and Western North Carolina.
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" Early families "
by Jennie Jones Giles " It was in August 1783 that James Davidson, William Davidson, Benjamin Davidson and Charles McDowell begin claiming large areas of land in today’s Buncombe, Henderson and Transylvania counties along the French Broad River. Some of this land was within today’s Etowah. They began selling much of this land to other settlers. It was also in 1783 that Joseph Henry will file his first land deed for land that is today within Henderson County. During the next two decades Henry, a land speculator, will buy and sell land in much of Henderson County. The land on which he actually lived is in Etowah where he owned hundreds of acres of land. On Nov. 15, 1791, Lambert Clayton enters his first land deed for land in the area of today’s Henderson and Transylvania counties. This particular entry is for land on “both sides of a small creek that runs into the French Broad River on the east side, being the first creek above Benjamin Davidson’s creek on the east side.” Land deeds prove that the Clayton family owned hundreds of acres within present-day Etowah. Andrew Lyda (Lyday) will enter a land deed on June 14, 1794, for land bordering Col. James Miller and Col. Joseph McDowell and includes the “swamp on same side of French Broad River said Lyda lives on.” This indicates that Lyda (Lyday) was living on this land prior to 1791. Some of the Lyda (Lyday) land is within today’s Etowah. By Nov. 18, 1794, Martin Gash will file a land deed for land on the French Broad River. This is the first of several deeds that will include hundreds of acres of land, with much of this land in today’s Etowah. Robert Orr will file a land deed on Dec. 15, 1794, for land on the side of Little River on the “upper corner of the land he lives on and runs down said line.” This again indicates that Orr was living on the land prior to filing this deed, the first of several deeds filed by Orr. This particular deed is for land in today’s Transylvania County, but many of the Orr family deeds include land in today’s Etowah. . . . " Read more at HendersonHeritage.com Transylvania County - Etowah's neighbor
Read about the "History of Transylvania County". This engaging written account, presented by "Transylvania County 150" is included here because of the many historical connections between Etowah and neighboring communities in Transylvania County. |
Native American History
in the Etowah Valley, Henderson County and Western North Carolina |
Some say evidence of Native American habitation has been found by local residents over the years in the Etowah area.
The history of Native Americans in Western North Carolina, and Henderson County in particular, is a highly complex topic to present because of the varied academic perspectives and interpretations of historical material. This website provides links to credible sources on this topic. Read more about the Native Americans that lived in Western North Carolina during the Archaic and Woodland Periods, and at the time of European contact. Archaic period: 8000 BC– 1000 BC Woodland period: 1000 BC– AD 1600 NORTH CAROLINA AMERICAN INDIAN TIMELINE - NC Museum of History Additional material provided by hendersonheritage.com at the follwing links: Native Americans in Henderson County Three Tribes: Cherokee, Catawba, Cheraw Would you like to share information or photographs regarding Native American artifacts from the Etowah Valley area? Please contact the website.
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